Tattoo + Tanning?

Question

Another question about this new tatoo...Im on a dance team and they MAKE us be tan. I know you aren't supposed to tan with a new tatoo (3 days old) but can I just cover it with a towel? Thanks guys

Answer 1

Only 3 days old?? Not good to tan too early...... If you can get out of it until the tats healed then that's what I suggest you do.....

Answer 2

If you got your tattoo 2 weeks ago, it should be just about healed by now. Most tattoos take 10-14 days to heal, unless you have an immune deficiency in which case you should not be getting tattoos in the first place. The only thing that UV rays will do to tattoos (other than the obvious of raising your risk of skin cancer) is FADE them and make your ink RUN. (ie: if you have a tattoo with small lines close together and continue to go in the sun or tanning often over the next few years, your star may end up looking like... a blob). I would either cover it with a sticker, use VERY strong SPF over just your tattoo, or avoid the tanning thing all together. Hope that helps

Answer 3

First of all, you should not be tanning. I used to work for a dermatologist specializing in skin cancer and it was frightening at how young so many of our patients were. Tanning is the single worst thing you could do to your skin. Aside from skin cancer, tanning pre-maturely ages your skin. We have one patient who still insists on tanning and at the age of 50, she looks like a leather handbag.

Sun is the worse enemy for a tattoo and when going out, an exposed tattoo should be covered with a sunscreen of at least 35 SPF and reapplied every two hours. Otherwise the ink will start to break up and the tattoo will become muddy.

I don't think very highly of a dance team that forces its members to tan, but if you must be tan, get your tan out of a bottle. You'll get the look without the damage to your tattoo. Or your skin.

Answer 4

Ick. I would rather eat my own eyes than be on that dance team.

You will have to wait to tan and in fact you shouldn't ever tan excessively. Its not only bad for tattoos, but bad for your skin overall.

I wouldn't want leathery wrinkled skin at 30 or a crap tattoo.

During the healing process, you are not supposed to tan. I don't think a towel won't help much. After the tattoo heals you are supposed to keep a high SPF sunscreen on the tattoo if you plan to be in the sun or go tanning. That will help, but in 15 more years, the tattoo will still look like crap. Not trying to be rude, but its the truth.

Answer 5

ive never heard of any team "forcing" someone to be tan. do they hold a gun to your head until you get into the booth?

missing a session is not going to ruin your tan but it jsut might ruin your tattoo. stay away from the booth for at least 3 weeks until it is properly healed. You cannot put sunscreen on for at least a week after you get your tattoo. it is also damaging your skin never mind the tattoo. healing skin is more vulnerable to damage and letting the rays hit that area will liekly cause irreparable damage to your skin, and in a sever case like another poster said can be cancerous. You can tan through a towel btw. It takes a special type of material to stop sun rays. Your tan will not dissapear if u dont go for a week or two.

Answer 6

even covering it with a towel, the rays from the tanning bed can still affect a new tattoo. Avoid tanning beds until it is at least healed (1 week or so).

Answer 7

Tanning is not bad for you!!! Tanning every day yes but periodically no.

I have tattoos all over. Just use sunblock and use a towel.
Depending how big it is and where it is.

The uv's will dry out your skin, then pull the ink out of your tattoo.
you will be left with a spotty tattoo.

Itchy yet??? don't pick the scab will pull out ink also.

Answer 8

Put a high SPF sunblock on it, it will prevent fading. If you cover it with a towel (or anything else) you're going to get funky tan lines. Use SPF 30 or higher to cover the ink...it'll be fine. You should be using sunblock on it tat's anyway... it prevents the colors from fading.

Answer 9

absolutely cover it. but can you not get a spray on tan?? honestly i don't think a dance team is worth skin cancer. i know it may seem like you are young and young people never get skin cancer but that is not the case these days. it is scary the number of people under 25 who are diagnosed with skin cancer. i would go to a spray tan place. also there are daily lotions that will keep your skin darker.

Answer 10

As long as the tanning rays arent directly on the tattoo it should be fine. Cover it.

Mark